Houston-George Bush-Intercontinental

The pilot was being vectored around thunderstorms in the area just prior to the accident. During the last radio contact the pilot was issued a vector to the destination airport. During this turn, for unknown reasons, the pilot lost control of the aircraft and descended from the assigned altitude of 6,000 feet msl to the ground in approximately 40 seconds. The aircraft reportedly was in clear weather conditions at this time and had not encountered adverse weather during the entire flight. The pilot did not mention any problems during the radio transmission with ATC. Impact in a shallow lake occurred while in a near vertical nose down attitude at a high rate of speed. The right propeller was found to have been feathered at the time of impact while the left propeller was set in the cruise range. No evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction of the right engine or propeller was discovered during post accident tests. Path and toxicological exams revealed no physiological factors. Pilots flight time records not available at time of investigation. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft rolled to the right and crashed after a catastrophic (uncontained) failure of the right engine during takeoff for a night flight. The right engine fan rotor disc separated from the hub which damaged the cowling and some disc fragments buried in the fuselage but without damage to the flight controls. The drag created by the loss of thrust and the distorted cowling led to yaw and roll with loss of control of the aircraft. The fan failure propagated from a low grade fatigue crack on the high time fan which was not detected by the visual inspection procedures existing at the time. The manufacturer has since improved the manufacturing and inspection techniques. An AD 86-04-02 was issued on 2/14/86 which deals with fan removal from service according to an operating cycle schedule.

The Grumman American AA-5A, N9844U, had just landed. While taxing, the aircrew stopped short of runway 13R as Beechcraft. Hawker BH-125, N125E, was taking off. The rated student in N125E, who was on a training flight, was at the controls and began the takeoff. The power-up and takeoff roll were normal. Rotation was described as normal and the left throttle was retarded to idle at 110 knots, as pre-briefed, to simulate an engine failure. The instructor pilot (IP) stated that the lift off appeared normal and directional control was good up to an alt of 10 to 20 feet. The left wing then started to drop and the student applied right aileron, but did not stop the roll. The IP began advancing the left throttle, but did not get on the flight controls. The left wing hit the runway and the aircraft veered left and settled to the ground. At impact, both main gear mounts failed, a fuel tank ruptured and a fire started. N125E then slid into N9844U and both aircraft burned. BH-125 flight man recommends IP follow thru, max bank 5° and cautions negative wxvaning in crosswind. BH-125 rudder bias engaged. AA-5A crew thrown out, seatbelts unlatched.

After landing on runway 31L, the aircrew of N100VV requested clearance to turn off to the right at midfield onto runway 22. The request was approved and the aircrew was instructed to use caution for a Cherokee proceeding from the opposite direction. The pilot of N100VV stated that after he turned right onto runway 04/22 and was clear of the Cherokee, he attempted to contact the tower to advise of his intentions. However, the frequency was too busy, so he switched to the ground frequency and transmitted that he was 'off 31L, going to Atlantic.' This transmission ended just as N100VV was entering the intersection of runway 22 and 31R. Just prior to that, N222WL had been cleared for takeoff on runway 31R and had begun its takeoff roll. N222WL was at approximately 70 knots when its aircrew saw N100VV starting to cross the active runway. The pilot of N222WL attempted to takeoff and avoid a collision, but was unable to clear N100VV. N222WL crashed and slid to a stop approximately 400 feet beyond the impact point with N100VV, then burned. All three occupants escaped uninjured.

The aircraft was the second aircraft of a flight of two. The lead aircraft had received radio clearance for takeoff. The lead aircraft was to proceed to a visual checkpoint northwest of the airport and wait for this aircraft to join up. Witnesses observed the aircraft depart runway 17 and remain at low altitude. A left turn was completed with the aircraft passing over the witnesses at low altitude. They saw the pilot looking from side to side just prior to the aircraft colliding with a radio tower/antenna. The aircraft crashed and the pilot, sole on board was killed.

After takeoff from Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, while in initial climb, the right engine failed. The crew initiated a right turn when the airplane lost height and crashed in a field. Both occupants were slightly injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The flight from William P. Hobby Airport, Houston, Texas, to Brownwood, Texas, was scheduled to depart Hobby Airport at 1915. Two intermediate stops were scheduled. It was operating behind schedule because of delays in the first three flights of the day which were flown by the same captain who was readying Flight 108. The aircraft had been on the ground for 31 minutes between the time it landed and the time it taxied for takeoff. Two crewmembers and eight passengers were on board Flight 108. At 1941, the ground controller cleared Flight 108 to taxi to runway 22. At 1943:40 the captain reported that Flight 108 was ''ready to go on 22," and at 1945:10 transmitted "Eagle Air 108 is No. 1 for 22." At 1945:55, Flight 108 was cleared to taxi into position and to hold on runway 22. A pilot of an aircraft in the runup area adjacent to runway 22 stated that Flight 108 did not use the runup area, nor did he see the crew conduct an engine runup while awaiting takeoff clearance. At 1947:50, Flight 108 was cleared for takeoff, and at 1948:35, the tower air traffic controller inquired if Flight 108 would be making a right turn away from the airport. Flight 108 responded, "Eagle 108 just lost the right engine." The controller stated that when this transmission was made the aircraft was about 4,300 ft from the start of its takeoff roll and about 100 ft above the runway. A pilot witness on the ground stated that the aircraft was between 100 and 200 ft above the runway when the crew reported the loss of the right engine. An Eagle Airlines employee identified the person who made the transmission as a company employee--a pilot-in-command trainee who was in the copilot seat. The aircraft maintained runway heading for about 10 sec more before it began a right turn and a shallow descent. The rate of turn, the angle of bank to the right, and the rate of descent continued to increase as the aircraft turned 90° away from the runway heading. The angle of bank also increased as the aircraft descended, but the crew managed to level the wings just before impact. A passenger who was seated two seats behind the captain stated that when the aircraft was about 50 ft in the air he heard an engine "sputter" which continued until impact. The aircraft dropped, veered left, then right, and down." He recalled that a crewmember said, "What's next or what do we do now." A passenger on the right side, four seats back, heard a "popping or thudding" noise after the aircraft left the runway and veered to the right. He recalled that someone said, 'What do I do?". The third survivor was seated in the left rear seat. He heard an engine go "pop-pop like a backfire." He saw the captain pull back the "left red controls and the right pilot reach and turn things." None of the survivors could tell who was flying the aircraft. The aircraft crashed on a concrete airport parking ramp in a nearly level pitch attitude, with the right wing slightly lowered, about 1,000 ft from the runway. It then slid 200 ft on the ramp and hit two aircraft, four cars, and finally a hangar. A fire broke out when the aircraft hit the cars and the hangar. The accident occurred during hours of darkness.

On approach by night to Houston-Intercontinental Airport, the twin engine airplane was too low, struck trees and crashed. A passenger was seriously injured while all four other occupants were killed.

On final approach to Houston-Intercontinental Airport, the pilot encountered limited visibility (3/4 mile or less) due to night, low ceiling and foggy conditions. He failed to realize his altitude was too low when the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed in flames. The pilot was killed while all four passengers were injured.

On approach to Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, a low oil pressure in the right engine gearbox forced the crew to shut down the engine and to feather its propeller. For unknown reason, the propeller was not properly feathered and the airplane was approaching too low and too fast. After touchdown, as the airplane already rolled half of the landing distance (7,600 feet), the captain decided to initiate a go-around. After liftoff, fire was observed coming out from the tail exhaust pipe while the left engine lost power. The crew attempted an emergency landing and completed a belly landing in an open field near the airport. All 20 occupants were rescued, among them a passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was written off.